Trends report dubs prickly pear top summer flavor

BACK TO ALL NEWS

Trends report dubs prickly pear top summer flavor

1 Jul 2026

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

CERRITOS, CA — Global flavors have made their mark across the food space in recent years. This trend is popping up in new product development across the US as the days grow long and temperatures rise. To offer insight on palate-pleasing combinations, T. Hasegawa has outlined the top 10 flavors of the season in its “2026 Summer Flavors Report.”

The report includes five sweet and five savory flavor profiles on the rise. From indulgent to spicy to somewhere in between, these ingredients can spur inspiration for R&D teams looking to shake up their signature portfolios.

“With our nation’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup now in North America, global cuisine and regional pride will converge on our restaurant menus, grocery store shelves and pantries like never before,” said Mark Webster, VP of sales and marketing at T. Hasegawa USA. “As consumer preferences evolve, food and beverage brands are uniquely positioned to have fun and leverage bold and nuanced flavors to capitalize on the excitement this summer brings.”

On the sweet side, one returning flavor combo is Firework. Most often seen in the freezer aisle, this combination of cherry, lime and blue raspberry nods to the colors on the US flag. The country’s upcoming 250th anniversary is making this variety even more popular, showing up in major CPG brand portfolios such as OREO.

Traditional and nostalgic flavors influence food and beverage choices for 44% of US and Canadian consumers.

Several fruits are also surging this season. Prickly pear, white peach and blackberry offer distinct notes that can refine a range of products, while sweetcorn offers a nostalgic accent to desserts and beverages, nodding to carnival-style comfort. According to T. Hasegawa, more than half of US dessert and candy eaters have already tried a sweetcorn-flavored treat.

Of the savory standouts, guajillo and spicy coconut jump out as opportunities to bring something unexpected to the bakery aisle. The former, commonly seen in Mexican dishes, blends spicy chili with a hint of sweetness, appealing to nearly half of global consumers who expressed interest in bold flavors. The latter, denoted by a combination of creamy notes and spice, draws inspiration from foods in South Asia, Brazil and Jamaica. Both “swicy” options can offer an unexpected experience in offerings like pastries and donuts.

These trending ingredients align with innovations from bakery brands such as Back to Nature, St. Pierre and Lance, which recently cranked up the heat in their respective crackers and bread products.

The report also noted several consumer patterns, including interest from 64% of US consumers in more international products in their local grocery stores, and insight that traditional and nostalgic flavors influence food and beverage choices for 44% of US and Canadian consumers.

Visit the T. Hasegawa website to view the full report. Over the years, the company has made several predictions on flavors of the year that have come to fruition, particularly in baking. This includes ube for 2024 and brown sugar for 2025.

Advertisement

BACK TO ALL NEWS